The Peoples Democratic Party’s 102nd National Executive Committee meeting resolved to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, paving the way for Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and other southerners to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the next election.
The party’s NEC also upheld the current National Working Committee zoning formula for the November elective convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, and confirmed Umar Damagum as the substantive National Chairman.
Meanwhile, loyalists of the 2023 Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, including Obidient Movement National coordinator Tanko Yunusa, said the former Anambra governor needs more time to reflect before deciding on his next political move.
But reacting to the zoning arrangement, the All Progressives Congress Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, said the PDP is destined for defeat in 2027, no matter who it fields as a presidential candidate or the region he represents.
Zoning has long shaped the political fortunes of the PDP.
In 2015, northern members opposed former President Goodluck Jonathan, insisting the presidential ticket should return to their region.
Their revolt contributed to the PDP’s defeat by the All Progressives Congress.A repeat incident occurred in 2023, when five governors, led by then Rivers State Governor and now Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, alongside other leaders, opposed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s candidacy.
Although the zoning committee, chaired by then Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, had thrown the ticket open, they argued that after President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years, the South deserved consideration.
After Senator Iyorchia Ayu’s removal as National Chairman in 2023 by a court ruling, the North Central leaders demanded to fill the position, but their request was denied.
This fuelled the defection of key figures like former Senate President David Mark, Senator Dino Melaye, and ex-Benue Governor Gabriel Suswam to the opposition coalition, African Democratic Congress.
From 2015 to date, disputes over the zoning of the presidential ticket or NWC positions have repeatedly driven the PDP into crisis.
On Monday, the PDP’s 44-member zoning committee, chaired by Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, presented its report to the 102nd NEC.
Addressing journalists after the NEC meeting in Abuja, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, disclosed that the decision followed the presentation of a report by the Zoning Committee chaired by Governor Diri.Ologunagba added that the NEC also expressed satisfaction over the level of preparedness of the PDP’s various organs, chapters and structures for the 2025 Elective National Convention scheduled for Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital, on November 15 to 16, 2025.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, while reading the 102nd NEC communiqué, said the meeting commended the efforts of PDP governors, Board of Trustees, NWC, the National Assembly Caucus, and other party organs toward the success of the 2025 National Convention.
The communique read in part, “NEC received and, after extensive deliberation, approved the report of the National Convention Zoning Committee, which recommended that all PDP National Office positions currently in the Northern region of the country remain in the Northern region.
“That all PDP National Office positions currently in the Southern region of the country remain in the Southern region.
“That having retained the position of the National Chairman in the Northern region of the country, the Presidential candidate of the party for the 2027 general election is hereby zoned to the Southern region.
“That the regions should immediately micro-zone positions within their region for implementation. NEC also received an update from the PDP Constitution Amendment Committee and directed the Committee to circulate the Draft Constitution Amendment to various organs and chapters of the Party for further inputs.”
Ologunagba said NEC confirmed Umar Damagum as substantive National Chairman, effective Monday, August 25, 2025, in recognition of his role in stabilising the party, pending the National Convention.He added, “NEC condemns the resort by the APC to state capture through state-backed intimidation, manipulation, inducement, coercion and violence against Nigerians as witnessed in the APC’s muzzling of the recent bye-elections in parts of the country.
“NEC particularly expressed dismay and condemned the militarisation of the recent bye-elections, especially in Kaduna and Taraba States, as well as Zamfara State, where excessive security agencies were deployed in the conduct of the run-off election in only five polling units in Kaura Namoda South state constituency.
“NEC declares that this action by the APC is a confirmation of the APC’s desire to turn our country into a totalitarian one-party state, which is a clear and present danger to democracy and the corporate existence of our country.
“NEC reassures Nigerians of PDP’s commitment to Democracy and the defence of the interests and well-being of all citizens as we work hard to further reposition our party to regain power in 2027.”
Although not officially declared, The Newsmen had earlier reported that Governor Makinde was among those likely to contest the PDP’s 2027 presidential ticket from the South.
With the new zoning arrangement, the path now appears clearer for Makinde, Obi, and other southerners interested in the ticket.
In his earlier remarks, Damagum noted that since the last PDP NEC meeting, the party had remained resilient and focused despite the country’s daunting challenges.